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fathom in French

fathom in French is brasse, toise, comprendre — fathom means a unit of length equal to six feet (about 1.8 metres), traditionally used to measure the depth of water.

fathom in French

brasse
noun
(chiefly, nautical, historical, US) A man's armspan, generally reckoned to be six feet (about 1.8 metres). Later used to measure the depth of water, but now generally replaced by the metre outside American usage.
toise
noun
(chiefly, nautical, historical, US) A man's armspan, generally reckoned to be six feet (about 1.8 metres). Later used to measure the depth of water, but now generally replaced by the metre outside American usage.
comprendre
verb
(also, figurative) To measure the depth of (water); to take a sounding of; to sound.
s'imaginer
verb
(also, figurative) To measure the depth of (water); to take a sounding of; to sound.
saisir
verb
(also, figurative) To measure the depth of (water); to take a sounding of; to sound.
comprendre
verb
saisir
verb

What does "fathom" mean?

  1. noun A unit of length equal to six feet (about 1.8 metres), traditionally used to measure the depth of water.
    "The wreck lies at a depth of about forty fathoms."
  2. verb To understand something fully, especially something puzzling or complicated.
    "I still can't fathom why he quit such a great job."

fathom in a sentence

  • The wreck lies at a depth of about forty fathoms.
  • I still can't fathom why he quit such a great job.
  • She tried to fathom the meaning behind his cryptic message.

Similar words in French

Common French translations

Frequently asked questions

What is "fathom" in French?

"fathom" in French is brasse, toise, comprendre. fathom means: A unit of length equal to six feet (about 1.8 metres), traditionally used to measure the depth of water.

How do you use "fathom" in a sentence?

Example: "The wreck lies at a depth of about forty fathoms." In French, "fathom" is brasse, toise, comprendre.

Are there other ways to say "fathom" in French?

Yes — French has 5 translations listed for "fathom": brasse, toise, comprendre, s'imaginer, saisir.

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Translations from WikDict, CC BY-SA · example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR.